NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has little doubt new recruit Angus Crichton could make a seamless transition if called upon.
RA CEO Phil Waugh had flagged Crichton could feature on the Spring Tour, similar to Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii's immediate impact in 2024.
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Soon to be Crichton's coach at the Waratahs, Dan McKellar believes he would be capable of surging into the Wallabies' best team immediately after finishing with the Roosters "He's a winner, he's a State of Origin player who has got a rugby union background, it's not like he's coming in completely fresh," McKellar said.
Once he gets his hands on Crichton, McKellar will draw on lessons learned reshaping Suaalii into a rugby union player.
"They're naturally good footballers, but it's the intricacies of the game that you need to coach them hard on," McKellar said.
"When you're dealing with players like Joseph or Angus, they've got a thirst for wanting to get better and better every day, so I don't see that as being too much of an issue."
Elsewhere, McKellar says the Waratahs remain as tight as ever despite a much-publicised training punch-up between Miles Amatosero and Angus Scott-Young.
Amatosero is spending time away from the Waratahs after launching multiple punches at his teammate during a contact session this month.
The towering lock will also miss their two trial games, the first of which is against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.
"Come round one, the week leading into the Reds game, as long as Miles does what he needs to do, then we move on," McKellar said.
"We always train on the edge, (but) we can't overstep the mark. That's the balance we've got to get right.
"I will say, this group as a whole, off the back of a really good week (of pre-season camp) in Mudgee, is as connected and as tight a group as I've been involved in."
